In this series, we'll take a look at some of the best providers in Australia: who they are, who they suit, and what they can do for you. Amaysim is a great provider to start with, as they have contributed a great deal towards keeping other providers honest, and in creating plans that highlight the problems of cap plans, while producing their own solutions. Let's take a look at Amaysim and the best Amaysim plans out there!

Get 30% off the Amaysim Unlimited Plan in your first month – but hurry, offer ends on the 15th of August!

Who are they?

Amaysim (1300 791 895) is an Australian based mobile provider who keep their focus at the moment on mobile phone plans and mobile broadband plans – eschewing, for now, fixed line connections, though the NBN may change this. Amaysim uses the Optus network, which covers 97% of Australia, and the Amaysim call centres are based in Australia.

Amaysim has a couple of essential factors at the root of all of their plans that tie into company values and a shift in focus in the telco industry. These factors are:

• No contracts
• SIM-only plans (i.e., they don't sell phones on contracts or outright, though they do sell mobile broadband devices)
• No heavy excess usage charges (Amaysim put a lot of emphasis on this, via cheap call and data rates – we'll discuss it in further depth later)

These three key principles have led to Amaysim being one of the best and most distinctive providers in Australia today

An important part of the Amaysim process is an aversion to the common ingredients that make a cap plan. Amaysim believes – and rightly so – that cap plans can lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding between consumers and customers, as well as a misconstrued sense of safety within a cap plan that can be shattered completely at the end of each month with bill shock.

In effect, the key principles that I highlighted above could all be considered to be direct reactions to parts of cap plans that can most cause a customer distress and confusion. Going through them one by one can highlight both the uncertainty of cap plans and the refreshing new approach Amaysim takes.

No contracts

Amaysim is one of a very small handful of providers who offer 0-month contracts as a default – others include TPG and, on occasion, Dodo. Unlike most providers, too, they don't offer the 0-month contract as an option; it is the only choice, as Amaysim believe that "locking people in" is contrary to their company values.

Avoiding contracts is, when affordable, a good idea. And Amaysim makes it affordable. When you avoid a contract, it means that you cannot get locked into a plan that will prove unsuitable, whether because of the amount you're using it, the phone you're using with it, or because the network isn't good enough in your area.

With most providers, leaving a contract can mean a heavy exit fee and, often, returning any and all hardware that you've been given as part of the plan. It can be a stressful and distressing process, and there are a myriad of reasons why a plan may be unsuitable when you thought it was going to be fine: moving to a new location where reception is no longer any good, or even moving overseas where the provider is obviously not available is already an expensive proposition – having to pay the contract out on top of that can add hundreds of dollars to your bill.

Amaysim's approach to contracts acknowledges the chaos and hectic lifestyle of many Australians today. It's a flexible approach that leaves you open to change, and gives you the ultimate control over your contract and your telco bill, and that makes it a great option.

SIM-only plans

Amaysim doesn't sell hardware – instead, you bring your own mobile phone or tablet and Amaysim provides you with a SIM card. It's another way that Amaysim keeps their plans inexpensive.

If you are looking to buy a phone, Amaysim recommend buying it outright and offer some suggestions of what retail stores would be a good place to get started. This is Amaysim's real disadvantage – if you cannot afford to buy a good phone outright, you might not want to go through Amaysim after all, though they would be good to keep in mind once you get off your contract. Amaysim's reasoning behind not offering phones is because they don't want any reason to lock customers into a contract, and they can't afford to offer phones on plans when there's no guarantee you'll stick with them, which is fair, but still a disadvantage for the customer who wants a phone.

If you do need to get a phone on your plan, we'd recommend looking into some of the following providers:

Optus: 1300 302 412
Dodo: 1300 301 550
Vodafone: 1300 850 518

No heavy excess usage charges

We recently discussed the difference between cap plans and Pay As You Go plans, and where the real savings could be made. The difficulty with the cap system is that it provides a great deal of value in terms of the amount of credit you get for the amount you pay – sometimes the difference is as much as 11:1, the 1 being the dollar you pay. However, the moment you exceed your cap value you get hit with massive charges which can result in a bill of several hundred dollars – and that's just with regard to calls and texts. The price of overusing your mobile data plan can be much, much heavier.

This means that Amaysim are a great alternative. Their call rates are low – as low as 6c per minute – all the time, meaning that even if you do go over, for example, the Amaysim Flexi $19.90 PAYG Plan, it's unlikely that you'll have to pay more than a couple of dollars. Similarly, their data is charged at a very low rate, and if you use up all your data in one month you can buy more at a low rate, so as to avoid excess usage charges – which in any case, will not be very much (just 5c per MB). 

If you're a heavy user, too, Amaysim have a great option in the form of the Amaysim Unlimited SIM, which for $39.90 per month gives you unlimited calls, text messages, and a massive 4GB of data. They were one of the first providers to include in this unlimited offer calls to 13 and 1800 numbers – but since then, other providers, like Dodo, have followed suit, showing Amaysim's worth within Australia as a trendsetter and leader in terms of honesty and transparency within plans.

One of the best things that Amaysim offers to their customers comes in this form of transparency. They make things easy and inexpensive, and they're interested in your ongoing custom with them – which means there are no hidden fees or sudden excess charges that will leave you horrified. The 0-month contract means that you can leave Amaysim at any time, and that means that Amaysim works really hard to keep you happy and staying with them.

And a bonus – discounts!

If you're not quite ready to leave your current provider, check back frequently at Compare Mobile Plans and Compare Broadband, because we'll let you know when Amaysim have one of their sudden flash sales. Amaysim quite frequently take up to 50 per cent off their products for a day or two, and recently had a sale that gave customers 15 per cent off all products (including mobile broadband). It's a great way to get started with a new provider!

Today, take advantage of Amaysim's new offer for 30 per cent off the great value Amaysim Unlimited Plan. Call Amaysim now on 1300 791 895 for one of the best providers and plans in Australia!